George Washington1st President of the United States(April 30, 1789 to March 3, 1797)Nickname: "Father of His Country"Born: February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, VirginiaDied: December 14, 1799, at Mount Vernon, VirginiaMarried: Martha Dandridge Custis (1732-1802), on January 6, 1759Children: John "Jack" Parke Custis (adopted); Martha "Patsy" Custis (adopted)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: Planter, SoldierPolitical Party: FederalistPresidential Salary: $25,000/year (refused by Washington)Notable Events:

1789 o The Judiciary Act specified the number of Federal courts and judges.

1790 o Supreme Court met for the first time with John Jay as the Chief Justice.

1791 o Federal capital established in swamplands on the Potomac.o A national banking system established by the Bank Act.o The Bill of Rights take effect.

1792 o Post Office established by Congress as a separate entity.o New York Stock Exchange organized.o Coins are minted by the government as enacted by the Coinage Act.

1793 o War breaks out between Britain and France. On April 22, U.S. declares neutrality.

1794 o Whiskey Rebellion over excise tax in western Pennsylvania. Federal troops called to suppress the

armed rebellion. 1795

o The Jay Treaty ratified. British troops required to withdraw from the U.S.o Pinckney's Treaty with Spain opened navigation on Mississippi River.o Washington posed for Stuart's portrait, which is now on the one dollar bill.

1796 o Washington delivered his Farewell Address.

Points of Interest: Believing that shaking hands was beneath a president, Washington bowed to his visitors. Washington has the distinction of being the only president to be elected unanimously by the electoral

college. Washington had one remaining tooth at the time of his inauguration. During his lifetime he wore

dentures made of human (some his own), cow, or hippopotamus teeth, ivory, or lead, but he never wore wooden teeth.

Many places are named after Washington including the nation's capital, the state, 31 counties and 17 communities.

The six white horses in Washington's stables had their teeth brushed every morning on Washington's orders.

The nation's capital was located in Philadelphia during Washington's administration making him the only president who didn't live in Washington, D.C. during his presidency.

John Adams2nd President of the United States

(March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1801)Nickname: "Atlas of Independence"Born: October 30, 1735, in Braintree (now Quincy), MassachusettsDied: July 4, 1826, in Braintree (now Quincy), MassachusettsMarried: Abigail Smith (1744-1818), on October 25, 1764Children: Abigail Amelia Adams (1765-1813); John Quincy Adams (1767-1848); Susanna Adams (1768-70); Charles Adams (1770-1800); Thomas Boylston Adams (1772-1832)Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1755)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: FederalistPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1796 o E Pluribus Unum: "Out of Many, One"; added to American coins.

1797 o Three anonymous French trouble makers brought France and the U.S. to the brink of war in

what became known as the XYZ Affair. 1798

o Federalists support the highly unpopular Alien and Sedition Acts. They would later be repealed. 1800

o U.S. capital relocated to Washington, D.C. from Philadelphia.o Jefferson defeated Adams.o Congress established Library of Congress.

Points of Interest: The Adams' were the first residents of the White House. They moved in in November 1800 while the

paint was still wet. Mrs. Adams would hang her laundry in the East Room to dry. Adams was one of three presidents not to attend the inauguration of his successor. Not only was Adams

disappointed in losing to Jefferson, he was also grieving the death of his son Charles. Adams was the great-great-grandson of John and Priscilla Alden, Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock

in 1620. The only presidents to sign the Declaration of Independence Adams and Jefferson both died on its

50th anniversary, July 4, 1826. Adams' dying words were "Thomas Jefferson survives". Jefferson, however, had passed on a few hours earlier.

Thomas Jefferson3rd President of the United States(March 4, 1801 to March 3, 1809)Nicknames: "Man of the People"; "Sage of Monticello"Born: April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, VirginiaDied: July 4, 1826, at Monticello (near Charlottesville, Virginia)Married: Martha Wayles Skelton (1748-1782), on January 1, 1772Children: Martha Washington Jefferson (1772-1836); Jane Randolph Jefferson (1774-75); infant son (1777); Mary Jefferson (1778-1804); Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson (1780-81); Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson (1782-85)Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: Graduated from College of William and Mary (1762)Occupation: Lawyer, planterPolitical Party: Democratic-RepublicanPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1803 o Supreme Court ruled in Marbury v. Madison . Any law passed by Congress can be declared

unconstitutional by the courts.

The Louisiana Territory was purchased from France for $15 million dollars. The price works out to three cents per acre for the 512 million acres.

1804 o 12th Amendment changed Presidential election rules.

Jefferson reelected.Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began exploration of the Northwest.Vice President Aaron Burr kills Alexander Hamilton in a duel July 11.

1807 o Congress outlaws importing slaves from Africa, March 2.

Embargo Act, December 22, forbids American ships to leave American waters. 1808

o Slave importation outlawed. Yet, another 1/4 million brought in by 1860. 1809

o Non-Intercourse Act, March 1, repeals the Embargo Act, which didn't work.Points of Interest:

Jefferson was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. Approximately 6,000 books from Jefferson's private library were purchased for $23,950 to help start the

Library of Congress. Jefferson was right-handed, but taught himself to write with his left hand. Bears brought back from Lewis and Clark's famous expedition were displayed in cages on the White

House lawn. For years the White House was sometimes referred to as the "president's bear garden." The only presidents to sign the Declaration of Independence, Adams and Jefferson both died on its

50th anniversary, July 4, 1826. Adams' dying words were "Thomas Jefferson survives". Jefferson, however, had passed on a few hours earlier.

Jefferson founded the University of Virginia as an “Academic Village”. Jefferson is credited with several inventions, including the swivel chair, a pedometer, a machine to make

fiber from hemp, a letter-copying machine, and the lazy susan. Jefferson wrote his own epitaph without mentioning that he served as president of the United States.

James Madison4th President of the United States(March 4, 1809 to March 3, 1817)Nicknames: "Father of the Constitution"Born: March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, VirginiaDied: June 28, 1836, at Montpelier, VirginiaMarried: Dolley Payne Todd (1768-1849), on September 15, 1794Children: NoneReligion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from College of New Jersey (now Princeton University; 1771)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic-RepublicanPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1811 o Madison allows 20-year charter of Bank of the United States to lapse.o William Henry Harrison fought Indians led by Chief Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, near

Indianapolis, November 7. 1812

o War declared on England on June 18 after England continued to attack U.S. ships headed to France.

o Madison reelected. 1814

o City of Washington captured and burned by British, August 24.

o Francis Scott Key observed flag over Fort McHenry at Baltimore, September 14, inspiring him to write "The Star-Spangled Banner".

o Treaty of Ghent ended War of 1812 on December 24, but fighting continued. 1815

o Andrew Jackson defeated British at New Orleans January 8, after war ended. 1816

o Second Bank of the United States chartered, April 10.Points of Interest:

Madison was the first president who had prior service as a congressman. Zachary Taylor and Madison were second cousins. Madison was the first president to wear long trousers. All previous presidents wore knee breeches. During the War of 1812 Madison was under enemy fire. He was the first president to be in that

situation. At 5 feet, 4 inches and less than 100 pounds, he was the shortest and lightest president. Dolley Madison sent the first personal message using the Morse telegraph in 1844.

James Monroe5th President of the United States(March 4, 1817 to March 3, 1825)Nicknames: "The Last Cocked Hat"; "Era-of-Good-Feeling President"Born: April 28, 1758, in Westmoreland County, VirginiaDied: July 4, 1831, in New York, New YorkMarried: Elizabeth "Eliza" Kortright (1768-1830), on February 16, 1786Children: Eliza Kortright Monroe (1786-1835); James Spence Monroe (1799-1800); Maria Hester Monroe (1803-50)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from College of William and Mary (1776)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic-RepublicanPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1818 o Congress fixed the number of stripes on the U.S. flag at 13 to honor the original colonies, April 4.

Anglo-American Convention set the 49th parallel as the border with Canada. 1819

o Florida ceded by Spain to the United States on February 22. In exchange the U.S. cancelled $5 million in Spanish debts.

1820 o The Missouri Compromise, forbade slavery above 36 degrees 30 minutes latitude.

Monroe reelected. 1823

o On December 2, Monroe Doctrine delivered to Congress.Points of Interest:

Monroe was the first president to ride on a steamboat. At sixteen years old, Monroe attended the college of William and Mary. He was the first president to have been a U.S. senator. In the election of 1820 Monroe received every electoral vote except one. A New Hampshire delegate

wanted Washington to be the only president elected unanimously. Monroe's inauguration in 1817 was the first to be held outdoors. The bride in the first White House wedding was Monroe's daughter. The U.S. Marine Band played at Monroe's 1821 inauguration and at every inauguration since.

John Quincy Adams

6th President of the United States(March 4, 1825 to March 3, 1829)Nickname: "Old Man Eloquent"Born: July 11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy), MassachusettsDied: February 23, 1848, in Washington, D.C.Father: John AdamsMother: Abigail Smith AdamsMarried: Louisa Catherine Johnson (1775-1852), on July 26, 1797Children: George Washington Adams (1801-29); John Adams (1803-34); Charles Francis Adams (1807-86); Louisa Catherine Adams (1811-12)Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1787)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: Democratic-RepublicanPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1825 o The appointment of Henry Clay as secretary of state, led to charges that the Clay and Adams

made a bargain in the election of 1824.o Erie Canal completed.

1828 o Baltimore & Ohio railroad, the first designed for passengers and freight.o Andrew Jackson defeated Adams.

Points of Interest: President Adams regularly swam nude in the Potomac River. Anne Royall, the first American professional

journalist, knew of Adams' 5 A.M. swims. After being refused interviews with the president time after time, she went to the river, gathered his clothes and sat on them until she had her interview. Before this, no female had interviewed a president.

Adams was the first to be elected president without receiving either the most popular votes or the most votes of the electoral college.

He was the first president married abroad. Adams was the first president to be photographed. Adams is the only president to be elected to the House after his presidency. One of his sons, George Washington Adams, died at the age of 28, an apparent suicide.

Andrew Jackson7th President of the United States(March 4, 1829 to March 3, 1837)Nickname: "Old Hickory"Born: March 15, 1767, in the Waxhaw area, on North Carolina-South Carolina borderDied: June 8, 1845, at the Hermitage in Nashville, TennesseeMarried: Rachel Donelson Robards (1767-1828), in August 1791 and in a second ceremony on January 17, 1794Children: Andrew Jackson, Jr. (adopted)Religion: PresbyterianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: Lawyer, soldierPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1829 o Estate of James Smithson funded the establishment of the Smithsonian.o About 2,000 of Jackson's supporters given government jobs. Jackson also set up a "kitchen

cabinet" of informal advisers.

1830 o Jackson authorizes Indian Removal Act of 1830.

1831 o Samuel F. Smith wrote "My Country, 'tis of Thee."

1832 o Jackson reelected.o Jackson vetoed the rechartering of 2nd Bank leading to the creation of the Whig Party.o South Carolina attempted to nullify federal tariff laws. Federal troops sent to South Carolina on

December 10. 1835

o U.S. became debt free (briefly) for the only time in history. 1836

o 6000 Mexicans defeated 190 Americans in 12 days at the Alamo on March 6.The Specie Circular ordered that gold and silver were the only currency acceptable for the purchase of federal lands, issued on July 11.

1835 o Jackson signs Treaty of New Echota with unrecognized leaders of Cherokee Nation, which allows

him to force the Cherokees to move to land in what is now Oklahoma. 4,000 Native Americans die on this journey, also known as the Trail of Tears.

Points of Interest: Jackson was the only president who served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Jackson was the only president to have been a prisoner of war. He was thirteen when he joined the

South Carolina militia to fight in the Revolutionary War. After his capture, he was ordered to clean the boots of a British officer. Jackson refused. The officer then drew his sword and slashed Jackson across the forehead, leaving a scar.

Jackson was the first president born in a log cabin. Jackson was involved in many duels. A duel on May 30, 1806 against Charles Dickinson was over some

unflattering remarks made about Jackson's wife. In this duel Jackson was wounded. After he was hit, he took aim and fired at Dickinson. Jackson's gun misfired. As Dickinson was forced to stand his ground, Jackson took aim once again and killed Dickinson. The bullet that wounded Jackson was lodged near his heart and could not be safely removed. He carried that bullet in his chest for the rest of his days.

Jackson was the first president to ride on a railroad train.

Martin Van Buren8th President of the United States(March 4, 1837 to March 3, 1841)Nicknames: "The Little Magician"; "The Red Fox of Kinderhook"Born: December 5, 1782, in Kinderhook, New YorkDied: July 24, 1862, in Kinderhook, New YorkMarried: Hannah Hoes (1783-1819), on February 21, 1807Children: Abraham Van Buren (1807-73); John Van Buren (1810-66); Martin Van Buren (1812-55); Smith Thompson Van Buren (1817-76)Religion: Dutch ReformedEducation: Graduated from Kinderhook Academy (1796)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1837 o Banks closed in Philadelphia and New York City on May 10. This was the beginning of the Panic

of 1837. The depression that followed would last throughout Van Buren's term. 1838

o Continuation of forced relocation of the Cherokee people, which started under Andrew Jackson. 4,000 Native Americans die on the journey known as the Trail of Tears.

1840 o William Henry Harrison defeated Van Buren.

Points of Interest: Van Buren was the first president born in the United States. All previous presidents were born before

the United States became country, although all were born in places that would later be a part of the United States.

His autobiography does not mention his wife once. Van Buren took $100,000, the sum of his salary as president over four years, in a lump sum at the end of

his term. The term "O.K." was popularized because of Van Buren. Van Buren was from Kinderhook, New York,

sometimes referred to as Old Kinderhook in speeches and print. O.K. Clubs soon formed to support Van Buren's campaign. "O.K." later came to mean all right.

Van Buren made three unsuccessful bids for reelection.

William Henry Harrison9th President of the United States(March 4, 1841 to April 4, 1841)Nicknames: "Old Tippecanoe"; "Old Tip"Born: February 9, 1773, in Berkeley, VirginiaDied: April 4, 1841, in Washington, D.C.Married: Anna Tuthill Symmes (1775-1864), on November 25, 1795Children: Elizabeth Bassett Harrison (1796-1846); John Cleves Symmes Harrison (1798-1830); Lucy Singleton Harrison (1800-26); William Henry Harrison (1802-38); John Scott Harrison (1804-78); Benjamin Harrison (1806-40); Mary Symmes Harrison (1809-42); Carter Bassett Harrison (1811-39); Anna Tuthill Harrison (1813-65); James Findlay Harrison (1814-17)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Attended Hampden-Sydney CollegeOccupation: SoldierPolitical Party: WhigPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1841 o Delivered the longest inaugural address on March 4. It was an extremely cold day and Harrison

did not wear a hat while delivering the 105 minute speech. He contracted pneumonia and died in the White House one month later.

Points of Interest: Harrison was the only president who studied to become a doctor. Harrison's father was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Harrison and his vice president Tyler are the only president and vice president born in the same

county. Harrison was clerk of Hamilton County (Ohio) court immediately before becoming president. His widow received a $25,000 pension after her husband's death.

John Tyler10th President of the United States(April 6, 1841 to March 3, 1845)Nicknames: "Accidental President"; "His Accidency"Born: March 29, 1790, in Greenway, VirginiaDied: January 18, 1862, in Richmond, VirginiaMarried: Letitia Chrisitan (1790-1842), on March 29, 1813; Julia Gardiner (1820-1889), on June 26, 1844Children: Mary Tyler (1815-48); Robert Tyler (1816-77); John Tyler (1819-96); Letitia Tyler (1821-1907); Elizabeth

Tyler (1823-50); Anne Contesse Tyler (1825); Alice Tyler (1827-54); Tazewell Tyler (1830-74); David Gardiner Tyler (1846-1927); John Alexander Tyler (1848-83); Julia Gardiner Tyler (1849-71); Lachlan Tyler (1851-1902); Lyon Gardiner Tyler (1853-1935); Robert Fitzwalter Tyler (1856-1927); Pearl Tyler (1860-1947)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from the College of William and Mary (1807)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: WhigPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1841 o Tyler's cabinet resigned after he vetoed banking bills supported by the Whigs.

1844 o Far East opened to U.S. traders after a treaty with China signed.

1845 o Texas annexed followed by war with Mexico.

Points of Interest: Tyler was the first president whose wife died while he was in office. Tyler was the only president to hold office in the Confederacy. Tyler was one of five Presidents who were never inaugurated. Five years after leaving office, Tyler was so poor he was unable to pay a bill for $1.25 until he had sold

his corn crop. The tradition of playing "Hail to the Chief" whenever a president appears at state functions was started

by Tyler's second wife, Julia.James Knox Polk11th President of the United States(March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849)Nickname: "Young Hickory"Born: November 2, 1795, in Mecklenburg County, North CarolinaDied: June 15, 1849, in Nashville, TennesseeMarried: Sarah Childress (1803-1891), on January 1, 1824Children: NoneReligion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from the University of North Carolina (1818)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1846 o A large crack in the Liberty Bell proves too large to permit the bell to be rung any more.o Dispute with Britain over the Oregon Territory settled. Both nations get a part of the territory.

1848 o Treaty of 1848 with Mexico gave the U.S. control over California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada,

Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.o Gold discovered in California in December.

Points of Interest: A week before he died, Polk was baptized a Methodist. Gaslights were installed in the White House while Polk was a resident. Polk survived a gallstone operation at age 17 without anethesia or antiseptics. Those medical practices

were not used at the time. The first annual White House Thanksgiving dinner was hosted by Sarah Polk. Sarah Polk was a devout Presbyterian. She banned dancing, card-playing and alcoholic beverages in the

White House.

News of Polk's nomination was widely disseminated using the telegraph. The first time his had been done.

Zachary Taylor12th President of the United States(March 5, 1849 to July 9, 1850)Nickname: "Old Rough and Ready"Born: November 24, 1784, near Barboursville, VirginiaDied: July 9, 1850, in Washington, D.C.Married: Margaret Mackall Smith (1788-1852), on June 21, 1810Children: Ann Mackall Taylor (1811-75); Sarah Knox Taylor (1814-35); Octavia P. Taylor (1816-20); Margaret Smith Taylor (1819-20); Mary Elizabeth Taylor (1824-1909); Richard Taylor (1826-79)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: SoldierPolitical Party: WhigPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1850 o The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty signed with Britain guaranteed that any future canal across Central

America would be available to all nations.Points of Interest:

Taylor refused all postage due correspondences. Because of this, he didn't receive notification of his nomination for president until several days later.

As a soldier always moving from location to location, Taylor never established an offical place of residence and never registered to vote, He didn't even vote in his own election. It wasn't until he was 62 that he cast his first ballot.

November 7, 1848 was the first time a presidential election was held on the same day in every state. Visitors to the White House would take souvenier horse hairs from Whitey, Taylor's old Army horse that

he kept on the White House lawn.

Millard Fillmore13th President of the United States(July 9, 1850 to March 3, 1853)Nickname: "The American Louis Philippe"Born: January 7, 1800, in Locke Township (now Summerhill), New YorkDied: March 8, 1874 in Buffalo, New YorkStepmother: Eunice LoveMarried: Abigail Powers (1798-1853), on February 5, 1826; Caroline Carmichael McIntosh (1813-1881), on February 10, 1858Children: Millard Powers Fillmore (1828-89); Mary Abigail Fillmore (1832-54)Religion: UnitarianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: WhigPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1850 o Congress passed the Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Act in September.

Points of Interest: Fillmore was one of five presidents who were never inaugurated. According to the University of Buffalo Libraries' University Archives, Fillmore was a founder of the

University of Buffalo, and he also served as its Chancellor from 1846 to 1874. While Chancellor, he was

also Comptroller of New York State from 1848-1849, U.S. Vice President from 1849-1850, and President of the United States from 1850-1852.

Fillmore refused an honorary degree from Oxford University because he felt he had "neither literary nor scientific attainment."

Franklin Pierce14th President of the United States(March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1857)Nickname: "Young Hickory of the Granite Hills"Born: November 23, 1804, in Hillsborough (now Hillsboro), New HampshireDied: October 8, 1869, in Concord, New HampshireMarried: Jane Means Appleton (1806-1863), on November 10, 1834Children: Franklin Pierce (1836); Frank Robert Pierce (1839-43); Benjamin Pierce (1841-53)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Bowdoin College (1824)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1853 o Gadsden Purchase

1854 o Kansas-Nebraska Acto Ostend Manifestoo Treaty with Japan negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry

Points of Interest: Pierce was arrested while in office for running over an old woman with his horse, but his case was

dropped due to insufficient evidence in 1853. He defeated his old commanding officer from the Mexican War, Winfield Scott, when he was elected

president. Pierce was wounded during the Mexican War. One of the Democratic party's slogans during Pierce's campaign for president was: "We Polked you in

1844; we shall Pierce you in 1852." Benjamin, Pierce's third and only surviving child, died in a railroad accident two months before his

father's inauguration. Because of religious considerations Pierce affirmed rather than swore the Presidential oath of office. Pierce gave his 3,319-word inaugural address from memory, without the aid of notes. Pierce was the only President to have no turnover in his cabinet. Pierce was the only elected President who sought but did not win his party's nomination for a second

term. During his second year at Bowdoin College in Maine, Pierce had the lowest grades out of anyone in his

class. He changed his study habits, and graduated third in his class. Among his class mates were Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Franklin Pierce was the first President to have a Christmas tree in the White House. He installed the first central-heating system and the first bathroom with hot and cold water in the White

House. Pierce was an avid fisherman. Pierce died of cirrhosis of the liver as a result of years of heavy drinking.

James Buchanan15th President of the United States(March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1861)Nickname: "Old Buck"

Born: April 23, 1791, in Cove Gap (near Mercersburg), PennsylvaniaDied: June 1, 1868, at Wheatland (near Lancaster, Pennsylvania)Married: Never married. The White House hostess was his niece Harriet Lane (1830-1903)Children: NoneReligion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from Dickinson College (1809)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events: Points of Interest:

Abraham Lincoln16th President of the United States(March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865)Nicknames: "Honest Abe"; "Illinois Rail Splitter"Born: February 12, 1809, in Hardin (now Larue) County, KentuckyDied: April 15, 1865, at Petersen's Boarding House in Washington, D.C.Married: Mary Todd (1818-1882), on November 4, 1842Children: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926); Edward Baker Lincoln (1846-50); William Wallace Lincoln (1850-62); Thomas "Tad" Lincoln (1853-71)Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: No formal educationOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanOther Government Positions:

Elected to Illinois State Legislature, 1834 Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1847-49

Presidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events:

1861-1865 o The Civil War

1863 o President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, freeing all slaves

in the states that had seceded and that were not yet under Northern control.Points of Interest:

Lincoln was the first president to die by assassination. Abraham Lincoln was shot while watching a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in

Washington, D.C. The same play was also running at the McVerick Theatre in Chicago on May 18, 1860, the day Lincoln was nominated for president in that city.

The contents of his pockets on the night of his assassination weren't revealed until February 12, 1976. They contained two pairs of spectacles, a chamois lens cleaner, an ivory and silver pocketknife, a large white Irish linen handkerchief, slightly used, with "A. Lincoln" embroidered in red, a gold quartz watch fob without a watch, a new silk-lined, leather wallet containing a pencil, a Confederate five-dollar bill, and news clippings of unrest in the Confederate army, emancipation in Missouri, the Union party platform of 1864, and an article on the presidency by John Bright.

At 6 foot, 4 inches, Lincoln was the tallest president. Abe Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died when the family dairy cow ate White Snakeroot and

she drank the milk. Lincoln had a wart on his right cheek, a scar on his thumb from an ax accident, and a scar over his right

eye from a fight with a gang of thieves. Mrs. Lincoln's brother, half-brothers, and brothers-in-law fought in the Confederate Army. Lincoln was the only president to receive a patent, for a device for lifting boats over shoals.

He was the first president to wear a beard. During the Civil War, telegraph wires were strung to follow the action on the battlefield. But there was

no telegraph office in the White House, so Lincoln went across the street to the War Department to get the news.

He was the first president to be photographed at his inauguration. John Wilkes Booth (his assassin) can be seen standing close to Lincoln in the picture.

Lincoln and his wife held seances in the White House. They had great interest in psychic phenomena. His son, Robert, who was in Washington when his father was killed, was also on the scene when

Garfield was shot in 1881 and McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be born outside of the original thirteen colonies. Lincoln loved the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Andrew Johnson17th President of the United States(April 15, 1865 to March 3, 1869)Nickname: None listed.Born: December 29, 1808, in Raleigh, North CarolinaDied: July 31, 1875, in Carter's Station, TennesseeMarried: Eliza McCardle (1810-1876), on May 5, 1827Children: Martha Johnson (1828-1901); Charles Johnson (1830-63); Mary Johnson (1832-83); Robert Johnson (1834-69); Andrew Johnson (1852-79)Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: No formal educationOccupation: Tailor, public officialPolitical Party: DemocraticPresidential Salary: $25,000/yearNotable Events: Points of Interest:

He is one of five Presidents who were never inaugurated. He was the first President to be impeached. His trial in the Senate lead to him being acquitted by one

vote.Ulysses Simpson Grant18th President of the United States(March 4, 1869 to March 3, 1877)Nickname: "Hero of Appomattox"Born: April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, OhioDied: July 23, 1885, in Mount McGregor, New YorkMarried: Julia Boggs Dent (1826-1902), on August 22, 1848Children:Frederick Dent Grant (1850-1912); Ulysses Simpson Grant (1852-1929); Ellen Wrenshall Grant (1855-1922); Jesse Root Grant (1858-1934)Religion: MethodistEducation: Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. (1843)Occupation: SoldierPolitical Party: RepublicanOther Government Positions:

NonePresidential Salary: $25,000/year (increased to $50,000/year in 1873)Notable Events: Points of Interest:

More facts about Grant can be found at Little Known Facts about Ulysses S. Grant by Diane Meives.

Rutherford Birchard Hayes19th President of the United States

(March 4, 1877 to March 3, 1881)Nickname: "Dark-Horse President"Born: October 4, 1822, in Delaware, OhioDied: January 17, 1893, at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, OhioMarried: Lucy Ware Webb (1831-1889), on December 30, 1852Children: Birchard Austin Hayes (1853-1926); James Webb Cook Hayes (1856-1934); Rutherford Platt Hayes (1858-1927); Joseph Thompson Hayes (1861-63); George Crook Hayes (1864-66); Fanny Hayes (1867-1950); Scott Russell Hayes (1871-1923); Manning Force Hayes (1873-74)Religion: No formal affiliationEducation: Graduated from Kenyon College (1842) and Harvard Law School (1845)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $50,000/yearNotable Events:

1877 o Federal troops withdrew from the South ending Reconstruction..

Striking railroad workers and federal troops clashed. 1878

o Bland-Allison Silver Purchase Act passed despite Hayes veto.Points of Interest:

Hayes' father died a few months before he was born. Of the five presidents who served in the Civil War, Hayes was the only one to be wounded. Arriving in San Francisco on September 8, 1880, Hayes became the first president to visit the West Coast

while in office. Hayes was the first president to graduate from law school. Mrs. Hayes was known as "Lemonade Lucy" because she refused to serve alcohol in the White House. Lucy Hayes was the first First Lady to have graduated from college. He won the presidency by only one electorial vote. He signed the act that permitted women to plead before the Supreme Court. The first White House telephone was installed, by Alexander Graham Bell himself, during the Hayes

administration. The first Easter egg roll on the White House lawn was conducted by Hayes and his wife.

James Abram Garfield20th President of the United States(March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881)Nickname: None listed.Born: November 19, 1831, in Orange, OhioDied: September 19, 1881, in Elberon, New JerseyMarried:Lucretia Rudolph (1832-1918), on November 11, 1858Children: Eliza A. Garfield (1860-63); Harry A. Garfield (1863-1942) James R. Garfield (1865-1950); Mary Garfield (1867-1947); Irvin M. Garfield (1870-1951); Abram Garfield (1872-1958); Edward Garfield (1874-76)Religion: Disciples of ChristEducation: Attended Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College); Graduated from Williams College (1856)Occupation: Teacher, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $50,000/yearNotable Events:

1881 o On July 2, shot by Charles Julius Guiteau. Garfield died of blood poisoning on September 19.

Points of Interest: Garfield was the first left-handed president of the United States.

James Garfield could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other, at the same time. The last of seven presidents born in a log cabin, Garfield weighed 10 pounds at birth. He was the first president to campaign in two languages -- English and German. On election day, November 2, 1880, he was at the same time a member of the House, Senator-elect and

President-elect. His mother was the first president's mother to attend her son's inauguration. At the age of twenty-six, Garfield became president of Hiram College. At the time the school only had

five faculty memebers. After Garfield's shooting, repeated probing for the bullet with non-sterile instruments resulted in blood

poisoning which eventually killed him.

Chester Alan Arthur21st President of the United States(September 19, 1881 to March 3, 1885) Nickname: "The Gentleman Boss"; "Elegant Arthur"Born: October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, VermontDied: November 18, 1886, in New York, New YorkMarried: Ellen Lewis Herndon (1837-1880), on October 25, 1859Children: William Lewis Herndon Arthur (1860-63); Chester Alan Arthur (1864-1937); Ellen Herndon Arthur (1871-1915)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Union College (1848)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanOther Government Positions:

Vice president, 1881 (under Garfield)Presidential Salary: $50,000/yearNotable Events: Points of Interest:

Grover Cleveland22nd and 24th President of the United States(March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1889 and March 4, 1893 to March 3, 1897)Nickname: "Veto Mayor"; "Veto President"Born: March 18, 1837, in Caldwell, New JerseyDied: June 24, 1908, in Princeton, New JerseyMarried: Frances Folsom (1864-1947), on June 2, 1886Children: Ruth Cleveland (1891-1904); Esther Cleveland (1893-1980); Marion Cleveland (1895-1977); Richard Folsom Cleveland (1897-1974); Francis Grover Cleveland (1903-1995)Religion: PresbyterianEducation: No formal educationOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $50,000/yearNotable Events:

1886 o Dedication of the Statue of Libertyo Presidential Succession Acto Geronimo surrendered, ending Apache wars of New Mexico and Arizona

1887 o Interstate Commerce Acto Anti-Polygamy Acto Dawes Severalty Act

o Tenure of Office Act repealed 1888

o New Chinese Exclusion Act 1893

o Panic of 1893o Pullman Strikeo Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 repealed

1895 o Controversy with Great Britain over Venezuela

Points of Interest: He was born Stephen Grover Cleveland. Cleveland is the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms. Cleveland discovered a cancerous growth on the roof of his mouth in the middle of the economic crisis

of 1893. So that his illness would not cause a greater panic, he and several doctors snuck aboard a pleasure boat and removed the growth. The public thought he was on a fishing trip and never knew the truth until 1917.

While sheriff of Erie County, New York, Cleveland was also the public executioner and personally hanged two murderers.

Cleveland was the first executive movie star. In 1895, Alexander Black came to Washington and asked Cleveland to appear in "A Capital Courtship", his photoplay. He agreed to be filmed while signing a bill into law. "A Capital Courtship" was a big hit on the Lyceum Circuit.

Since Cleveland was the sole supporter of his family during the Civil War, he paid a substitute to take his place.

Cleveland answered the White House phone, personally. Cleveland vetoed 414 bills in his first term, more than double the 204 vetoes cast by all previous

presidents. Cleveland used his veto powers 584 times during his two terms. This is the highest total of any president except Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served three terms.

"Death and Destruction" was the name that Grover Cleveland gave to his favorite hunting rifle. He was the only president married in the White House. According to the Curtiss Candy Company (and now Nestle ®), the Baby Ruth candy bar was named after

Cleveland's baby daughter, Ruth. Snopes.com, the Urban Legends Reference Pages, argues that this is false and that the candy bar was named after famous baseball player Babe Ruth.

The only president's child born in the White House was Cleveland's daughter Esther.

Benjamin Harrison23rd President of the United States(March 4, 1889 to March 3, 1893 Nicknames: "Kid Gloves Harrison"; "Little Ben" Born: August 20, 1833, in North Bend, OhioDied: March 13, 1901, in Indianapolis, IndianaMarried: Caroline Lavinia Scott (1832-1892), on October 20, 1853; Mary Scott Lord Dimmick (1858-1948), on April 6, 1896Children: Russell Benjamin Harrison (1854-1936); Mary Scott Harrison (1858-1930); Elizabeth Harrison (1897-1955) Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio (1852)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $50,000/year Points of Interest:

Benjamin Harrison23rd President of the United States

(March 4, 1889 to March 3, 1893 Nicknames: "Kid Gloves Harrison"; "Little Ben" Born: August 20, 1833, in North Bend, OhioDied: March 13, 1901, in Indianapolis, IndianaMarried: Caroline Lavinia Scott (1832-1892), on October 20, 1853; Mary Scott Lord Dimmick (1858-1948), on April 6, 1896Children: Russell Benjamin Harrison (1854-1936); Mary Scott Harrison (1858-1930); Elizabeth Harrison (1897-1955) Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio (1852)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanOther Government Positions:

United States Senator, 1881-87 Points of Interest:

William McKinley25th President of the United States(March 4, 1897 to September 14, 1901)Nickname: "Idol of Ohio"Born: January 29, 1843, in Niles, OhioDied: September 14, 1901, in Buffalo, New YorkMarried: Ida Saxton (1847-1907), on January 25, 1871Children: Katherine McKinley (1871-75); Ida McKinley (1873)Religion: MethodistEducation: Attended Allegheny CollegeOccupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanNotable Events:

1898 o Spanish-American War

Points of Interest:

Theodore Roosevelt26th President of the United States(September 14, 1901 to March 3, 1909)Nicknames: "TR"; "Trust-Buster"; "Teddy"Born: October 27, 1858, in New York, New YorkDied: January 6, 1919, in Oyster Bay, New YorkMarried: Alice Hathaway Lee (1861-1884), on October 27, 1880; Edith Kermit Carow (1861-1948), on December 2, 1886Children: Alice Lee Roosevelt (1884-1980); Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (1887-1944); Kermit Roosevelt (1889-1943); Ethel Carow Roosevelt (1891-1977); Archibald Bulloch Roosevelt (1894-1979); Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918)Religion: Dutch ReformedEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1880)Occupation: Author, lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $50,000/yearNotable Events: Points of Interest:

The inspiration for the teddy bear is believed to have come from a political cartoon about a bear-hunting trip Roosevelt went on in 1902.

William Howard Taft27th President of the United States(March 4, 1909 to March 3, 1913)Nickname: None listed.Born: September 15, 1857, in Cincinnati, OhioDied: March 8, 1930, in Washington, D.C.Married: Helen Herron (1861-1943), on June 19, 1886Children: Robert Alphonso Taft (1889-1953); Helen Herron Taft (1891-1987); Charles Phelps Taft (1897-1983)Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Yale College (1878); Cincinnati Law School (1880)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $75,000/yearNotable Events: Points of Interest:

William Howard Taft27th President of the United States(March 4, 1909 to March 3, 1913)Nickname: None listed.Born: September 15, 1857, in Cincinnati, OhioDied: March 8, 1930, in Washington, D.C.Married: Helen Herron (1861-1943), on June 19, 1886Children: Robert Alphonso Taft (1889-1953); Helen Herron Taft (1891-1987); Charles Phelps Taft (1897-1983)Religion: UnitarianEducation: Graduated from Yale College (1878); Cincinnati Law School (1880)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $75,000/yearNotable Events: Points of Interest:

Warren Gamaliel Harding29th President of the United States(March 4, 1921 to August 2, 1923)Nickname: None listed.Born: November 2, 1865, near Corsica (now Blooming Grove), OhioDied: August 2, 1923, in San Francisco, CaliforniaMarried: Florence Kling De Wolfe (1860-1924), on July 8, 1891Children: Elizabeth Ann Christian (illegitimate child by Nan Britton) (1919- )Religion: BaptistEducation: Graduated from Ohio Central College (1882)Occupation: Editor-PublisherPolitical Party: RepublicanOther Government Positions:

Member of Ohio State Senate, 1900-04 Lieutenant-Governor of Ohio, 1904-06 United States Senator, 1915-21

Presidential Salary: $75,000/yearNotable Events:

1921 o Peace between Germany and Austria declared.

1922

o Beginning of the Teapot Dome Scandalo Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act

Points of Interest: He was the first newspaper publisher to be elected president. Both of Harding's parents were doctors. He suffered nervous breakdowns at the age of 24 and had to spend some time in a sanitarium. One of his sisters was a Washington, D.C. policewoman. Harding was the first president to ride to his inauguration in an automobile. He was the first president to own a radio and the first to speak over the radio airwaves. Harding was the first president to visit Canada and Alaska. While president, Harding played golf, poker twice a week, followed baseball and boxing, and sneaked off

to burlesque shows. His advisors were known as the "Poker Cabinet" because they all played poker together.

Harding wore size fourteen shoes. He had the largest feet of the presidents. Harding was the first president to be survived by his father. Other interesting notes about Harding from the New York Times.

Calvin Coolidge30th President of the United States(August 3, 1923 to March 3, 1929) Nickname: "Silent Cal"Born: July 4, 1872, in Plymouth, VermontDied: January 5, 1933, in Northampton, MassachusettsMarried: Grace Anna Goodhue (1879-1957), on October 4, 1905Children:John Coolidge (1906-2000); Calvin Coolidge, Jr. (1908-24)Religion: CongregationalistEducation: Graduated from Amherst College (1895)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: RepublicanNotable Events: Points of Interest:

Herbert Clark Hoover31st President of the United States(March 4, 1929 to March 3, 1933)Nickname: None listed.Born: August 10, 1874, in West Branch, IowaDied: October 20, 1964, in New York, New YorkMarried: Lou Henry (1875-1944), on February 10, 1899Children: Herbert Clark Hoover (1903-69); Allan Henry Hoover (1907-93)Religion: Society of Friends (Quaker)Education: Graduated from Stanford University (1895).Occupation: EngineerPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $75,000/yearNotable Events:

1929 o Stock Market Crash which was the start of the Great Depression

Points of Interest: Hoover was the second left-handed president of the United States.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt32nd President of the United States

(March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945)Nickname: "FDR"Born: January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New YorkDied: April 12, 1945, in Warm Springs, GeorgiaMarried: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), on March 17, 1905Children: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1906-75); James Roosevelt (1907-91); Elliott Roosevelt (1910-90); Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. (1914-88); John Aspinwall Roosevelt (1916-81)Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1903); Attended Columbia Law SchoolOccupation: Public official, lawyerPolitical Party: DemocratOther Government Positions:

Member of New York State Legislature, 1911-13 Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1913-20 Governor of New York, 1929-33

Presidential Salary: $75,000/yearNotable Events:

1933-1939 o Initiation of economic relief programs known as the "New Deal".

1939-1945 o World War II

Points of Interest:

Harry S. Truman (Why the period?)*33rd President of the United States(April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953)Nickname: "Give 'Em Hell Harry"Born: May 8, 1884, in Lamar, MissouriDied: December 26, 1972, in Kansas City, MissouriMarried: Elizabeth "Bess" Virginia Wallace (1885-1982), on June 28, 1919Children: Mary Margaret Truman (1924- )Religion: BaptistEducation: Attended the University of Kansas City Law SchoolOccupation: Farmer, public officialPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $75,000/year (increased to $100,000 + $50,000 expense account in 1949)Notable Events: Points of Interest:

There has been considerable controversy regarding the use of a period after the S in Truman's name. The Harry S. Truman Library website explains the controversy and the reason to use the period.

Truman was the third left-handed president of the United States.

Dwight David Eisenhower34th President of the United States(January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961)Nickname: "Ike"Born: October 14, 1890, in Denison, TexasDied: March 28, 1969, in Washington, D.C.

Married: Mary "Mamie" Geneva Doud (1896-1979), on July 1, 1916Children: Doud Dwight Eisenhower (1917-21); John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower (1923- )Religion: PresbyterianEducation: Graduated from U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. (1915)

Occupation: SoldierPolitical Party: RepublicanNotable Events: Points of Interest: One of the Leading General of European Theater during World War II

John Fitzgerald Kennedy35th President of the United States(January 20, 1961 to November 22, 1963)Nickname: "JFK", "Jack"Born: May 29, 1917, in Brookline, MassachusettsDied: November 22, 1963, in Dallas, TexasMarried: Jacqueline Lee Bouvier (1929-1994), on September 12, 1953Children: Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (1957- ); John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr. (1960-99); Patrick Bouvier Kennedy (1963)Religion: Roman CatholicEducation: Graduated from Harvard College (1940)Occupation: Author, public officialPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $100,000/year + $50,000 expense account (refused by Kennedy)Notable Events:

1960 o The first joint radio-television broadcast of a U.S. Presidential debate was held on September 26.

It was between Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. 1961

o The U.S. sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba was attempted without success.o Nikita Khrushchev, the Prime Minister of the Soviet Union, ordered the creation of the Berlin

Wall in June to divide Soviet-controlled East Berlin from West Berlin, which was part of the free and democratic West Germany.

1963 o The Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed on August 6 by the United States, the United

Kingdom, and the Soviet Union.o August 28: thousands march on Washington, calling for equal access to public facilities, quality

education, adequate employment, and decent housing for African Americans. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his famous "I have a dream" speech.

o President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas Texas.Points of Interest:

Kennedy's speech to the students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on October 14, 1960 was the start of the Peace Corps.

In his speech to a Joint Session of Congress on May 25, 1961, Kennedy set the goal of landing a man on the moon by 1969 for the United States's Space Program (NASA).

Kennedy gave a famous speech in West Berlin in June 1963 that emphasized the importance of the "free world" fighting the "Communist world". Two memorable phrases that he spoke in German were: "Lass’sie nach Berlin kommen," or "Let them come to Berlin"; and "Ish bin ein Bearleener," or "I am a Berliner."

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas Texas. He had spent little more than a thousand days in office before being assassinated.

In 1965, the report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy (also known as the Warren Commission) found that a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, fatally shot Kennedy from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Three other government investigations were later conducted. All three agreed with the Warren Commission's conclusions that Oswald's shots did kill Kennedy. However, the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) in 1979 also concluded that another shooter fired upon Kennedy from the Dealey Plaza grassy knoll and missed. The existence of a second shooter and many other conclusions in these investigations are very controversial.

Lyndon Baines Johnson36th President of the United States(November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969)Nickname: "LBJ"Born: August 27, 1908, near Johnson City, TexasDied: January 22, 1973, near Johnson City, TexasMarried: Claudia "Lady Bird" Alta Taylor (1912-2007), on November 17, 1934Children: Lynda Bird Johnson (1944- ); Luci Baines Johnson (1947- )Religion: Disciples of ChristEducation: Graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College (1930) (now known as Texas State University-San Marcos)Occupation: Teacher, public officialPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $100,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events:

1964 o Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, a key success for the Civil Rights movement.o The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gives the President permission to take "all necessary measures" to

repel any armed attack against the United States in North Vietnam. 1965

o U.S. becomes increasingly involved in the Vietnam war; 180,000 troops are deployed by the end of the year.

1968 o President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title VIII, also known as the Fair Housing

Act. Points of Interest:

Richard Milhous Nixon37th President of the United States(January 20, 1969 to August 9, 1974)Nickname: None listed.Born: January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, CaliforniaDied: April 22, 1994, in New York, New YorkMarried: Thelma "Patricia" Catherine Ryan (1912-1993), on June 21, 1940Children: Patricia Nixon (1946- ); Julie Nixon (1948- )Religion: Society of Friends (Quaker)Education: Graduated from Whittier College (1934) and Duke University Law School (1937)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events:

Nixon resigned and was almost impeached over the Watergate Scandal, named for the burglaries at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington. D.C by men found to be connected to Nixon's re-election campaign fundraising committee.

1971 o The Pentagon Papers, a top-secret U.S. Dept. of Defense study, were leaked to The New York

Times. This document showed that the Johnson administration had secretly been expanding U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, further hurting the credibility of the Nixon administration.

1971-2 o The Nixon administration dramatically improved relations with China. Nixon made a public visit

to China in February, 1972, following Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's secret visit to China in October, 1971.

1973 o Nixon was praised during his presidency for ending American Involvement in the Vietnam War.

Points of Interest: Nixon is the only U.S. President who resigned from office.

Gerald Rudolph Ford38th President of the United States(August 9, 1974 to January 20, 1977)Nickname: "Jerry"Born: July 14, 1913, in Omaha, NebraskaDied: December 26, 2006 in Rancho Mirage, CaliforniaMarried: Elizabeth "Betty" Bloomer Warren (1918- ), on October 15, 1948Children: Michael Gerald Ford (1950- ); John Gardner Ford (1952- ); Steven Meigs Ford (1956- ); Susan Elizabeth Ford (1957- )Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from the University of Michigan (1935) and Yale University Law School (1941)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events: Points of Interest:

He was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. Ford was the first president to be an Eagle Scout. Ford was on the University of Michigan football team from 1931 to 1934. He was offered tryouts by both

the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions. Both Ford and his wife, Betty, had been models before their marriage. When Ford proposed to to his wife, he was wearing one brown & one black shoe. Ford was the fourth left-handed president of the United States. Running for Congress in 1948, Ford campaigned on his wedding day. Ford was one of the members of the Warren Commission appointed to study the assassination of

President John F. Kennedy. One night, Ford was locked out of the White House while walking his golden retriever, Liberty. The

Secret Service finally let him in. Ford's daughter Susan held her senior prom at the White House. He was the first president to release to the public a full report of his medical checkup. Ford was the first president to visit Japan. Ford was the only president whose two assassination attempts against him were made by women. Gerald Ford was the first president not elected by the people to become president. He became vice

president when Nixon's elected vice president, Spiro T. Agnew, resigned. Then became president when Nixon resigned.

At 93 years old, Gerald R. Ford and Ronald W. Reagan lived longer than any other U.S. President. Ford lived longer than Reagan did. Note: these figures came from entering each president's birth and death dates into the "Date Duration" tool found on timeanddate.com (http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html.)

Ford was the first president to pardon a former president.

James Earl Carter, Jr.39th President of the United States(January 20, 1977 to January 20, 1981)Nickname: "Jimmy"Born: October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia

Married: Eleanor Rosalynn Smith (1928- ), on July 7, 1946Children: John William "Jack" Carter (1947- ); James Earl "Chip" Carter III (1950- ); Donnel Jeffrey "Jeff" Carter (1952- ); Amy Lynn Carter (1967- )Religion: BaptistEducation: Graduated from U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. (1946)Occupation: Farmer, public officialPolitical Party: DemocratNotable Events: Points of Interest:

Ronald Wilson Reagan40th President of the United States(January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989)Nicknames: "The Gipper"; "The Great Communicator"; "Dutch"Born: February 6, 1911, in Tampico, IllinoisDied: June 5, 2004, in Los Angeles, CaliforniaMarried:Jane Wyman (1917-2007), on June 25, 1940 (divorced in 1948); Nancy Davis (1923- ), on March 4, 1952Children:Maureen Elizabeth Reagan (1941-2001); Michael Edward Reagan (adopted) (1945- ); Patricia Ann Reagan (1952- ); Ronald Prescott Reagan (1958- )Religion: Disciples of ChristEducation: Graduated from Eureka College (1932)Occupation: Actor, public officialPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events:

1981 o On March 30, Reagan was shot in an assassination attempt by John W. Hinkley, Jr. outside of the

Washington, D.C. Hilton Hotel.Points of Interest:

Reagan was the fifth left-handed president of the United States. At 69 years old, Reagan was the oldest elected president. At 93 years old, Gerald R. Ford and Ronald W. Reagan lived longer than any other U.S. President. Ford

lived longer than Reagan did. Note: these figures came from entering each president's birth and death dates into the "Date Duration" tool found on timeanddate.com (http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html.)

In the 1980 election, Reagan won in 46 out of 50 states. The only states he did not win in were Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, or West Virginia. He also did not win the District of Columbia.

In the 1984 election, Reagan won in 49 out of 50 states. The only state he did not win in was Minnesota, and he lost by a very small margin there. He also did not win the District of Columbia.

George Herbert Walker Bush41st President of the United States(January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993)Nickname: "Poppy"Born: June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts

Married: Barbara Pierce (1925- ), on January 6, 1945Children: George Walker Bush (1946- ); Robin Bush (1949-53); John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (1953- ); Neil Bush (1955- ); Marvin Bush (1956- ); Dorothy Bush (1959- )Religion: EpiscopalianEducation: Graduated from Yale University (1948)Occupation: Businessman, public officialPolitical Party: Republican

Presidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events: Points of Interest:

Bush was the sixth left-handed president of the United States.

William Jefferson Clinton42nd President of the United States(January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001)Nicknames: "Bill"Born: August 19, 1946, in Hope, ArkansasMarried: Hillary Rodham (1947- ), on October 11, 1975Children: Chelsea Victoria Clinton (1980- )Religion: BaptistEducation: Graduated from Georgetown University (1968); Attended Oxford University (1968-70); Graduated from Yale University Law School (1973)Occupation: Lawyer, public officialPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events:

1998 o President Clinton signed into law the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The act provided harsher

penalties for copyright infringement on the internet and made it illegal to create or distribute technologies for bypassing controlled access to copyrighted material.

1999 o President Clinton authorized American troops, but not ground troops, to take part in the North

Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) air strikes against the Serbian government. Although a United Nations (UN) courts ruled that a "genocide" was not taking place in Yugoslavia at this time, the UN court did conclude that Serbian President Slobodan Milošević's government had used a "systematic campaign of terror, including murders, rapes, arsons and severe maltreatments" in suppressing the ethnic Albanians' revolt in Kosovo. NATO forces suffered virtually no loss of life during this military campaign.

1998 o On December 19, the House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment against

President Clinton, one for perjury and the other for obstruction of justice. 1999

o On February 12, the Senate acquitted President Clinton of both articles of impeachment made against him by the House of Representatives.

Points of Interest: The first version of the official U.S. government White House website went online on Oct. 21, 1994. On November 16, 2000, President Clinton was the first president to visit Vietnam since the end of the

Vietnam War. Clinton was the seventh left-handed president of the United States.

George Walker Bush43rd President of the United States(January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009)Nicknames: "W"Born: July 6, 1946, in New Haven, ConnecticutFather: George Herbert Walker BushMother: Barbara Pierce BushMarried: Laura Welch (1946- ), on November 5, 1977Children: Barbara Pierce Bush (1981- ), Jenna Welch Bush (1981- )

Religion: MethodistEducation: Graduated from Yale University (1968); Graduated from Harvard Business School (1975)Occupation: BusinessmanPolitical Party: RepublicanPresidential Salary: $400,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events:

2001 o On September 11, terrorists flew hijacked airplanes into both towers of the World Trade Center

and into the Pentagon. A fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania.o October 7: The War in Afghanistan begins with the U.S. military operation "Operation Enduring

Freedom", which was launched by the United States with the United Kingdom in response to the September 11 attacks.

2003 o March 20: the Iraq War (or the Second Persian Gulf War) begins with the invasion of Iraq by a

multinational coalition of forces, led by the United States and the United Kingdom. Although Bush declared an end to major combat operations in May 2003, the conflict and casualities continued after he completed his second term in office.

2005 o August 28: Hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast of the United States, causing thousands of

deaths and billions of dollars in damage. 2007-2009

o The economy enters a state of crisis as the US housing market bubble bursts, foreclosures rise, and prominent financial institutions must seek federal assistance.

Points of Interest: Bush was one of two managing general partners of the Texas Rangers baseball club from 1989-1994. Of the 6 million votes cast in Florida in the 2000 election, Bush won the state's 25 electoral votes by 537

votes.

Barack Hussein Obama44th President of the United States(January 20, 2009 to Present)Nicknames: None listed.Born: August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, HawaiiMarried: Michelle Robinson (1964- ), on October 18, 1992Children: Malia Ann Obama (1999- ); Natasha "Sasha" Obama (2001- ) Religion: United Church of ChristEducation: Attended Occidental College; Graduated Columbia University (1983); Graduated from Harvard Law School (1991)Occupation: LawyerPolitical Party: DemocratPresidential Salary: $400,000/year + $50,000 expense accountNotable Events:

2009 o In an effort to rejuvenate the struggling U.S. economy, Congress passes the American Recovery

and Reinvestment Act, which allocates money for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization.

Points of Interest: Obama was the first African-American U.S. president. Obama was the first president born outside of the contiguous United States. Obama was the eighth left-handed president of the United States. Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.